Crossing the country to cycle IOWA

posted Apr 17, 2012, 5:46 AM by Jay Alberts

Parkinson's patients from Georgia, California tackle RAGBRAI XXXII

ATLANTA,TIME
July 13, 2004 -This year, Lance Armstrong will be armed with a sleek 15
pound racing bike while the power of his every pedal stroke will be
measured as he attempts to capture a sixth Tour de France. This year’s
Pedaling for Parkinson’s cycling team will be equally absorbed in the
performance of its star team members, two Parkinson’s disease patients
from Atlanta, GA and San Jose, CA as they make a 490-mile journey across
Iowa.

Unlike Armstong’s team, the Pedaling for Parkinson’s team
will monitor patients’ performance with force transducers and a
digitizer to determine the effects of exercise on the symptoms of
Parkinson’s disease. "Cycling is my way of showing Parkinson's disease
it can't beat me," said Cathy Frazier, diagnosed six years ago with
Parkinson's at the age of 43. Frazier and 22 other team members will
carry that message across Iowa this month with Pedaling for Parkinson's,
a non-profit dedicated to revitalizing patients and educating the
public about the benefits of staying active after a diagnosis. "I was
told to give up cycling because Parkinson's was taking away my ability
to balance," said Jim Wetherell, another member of this year's team.
"But with my love for cycling & a fear of my future, I made the
decision to add a wheel rather than selling two - I bought a recumbent
trike! That was 5 years and more than 30,000 miles ago."

Frazier,
a co-founder of Pedaling for Parkinson’s, will tackle the ride on a
tandem bike. As she did last year, Frazier will ride with her husband,
Atlanta cycling coach Ralph Frazier, and with Dr. Jay Alberts, a Georgia
Tech professor specializing in Parkinson’s research."Our goal is to
motivate other Parkinson's patients that it is possible to lead an
active lifestyle even with the disease," said Dr. Jay Alberts."Halfway
through last year's ride, Cathy's symptoms were visibly improved. This
year we plan to quantify motor performance to determine what movement
parameters change as a result of this week of exercise.”

Typically,
a Parkinson’s patient riding a bike maintains a cadence of around 50-60
RPM. However, non-Parkinson’s captain on a tandem bike can drive that
cadence to over 90 RPMs. Pedaling at a higher cadence may prime or drive
the Central Nervous System of the Parkinson’s patient. A driving of the
system may result in an increase the release of dopamine (a
neurotransmitter that is lower than normal in Parkinson’s) in the
patient that in turn could account for the improved motor symptoms. “The
data we gather will allow us to determine if the increase in pedaling
rate leads to changes in motor functioning over a week of intense
exercise,” said Alberts, who is looking forward to the week on the bike.
“Plus, we’ll be passing at least 250 pie and ice cream stands. Who can
refuse?”

About Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's and
related disorders are the result of the loss of dopamine-producing brain
cells. Dopamine is a chemical messenger responsible for transmitting
signals within the brain. Parkinson's disease occurs when certain nerve
cells, or neurons, die or become impaired. The disease is both chronic
and progressive. A variety of medications provide dramatic relief from
the symptoms, but no drug can stop the progression of the disease. At
present, there is no way to predict or prevent Parkinson's disease. (www.apdaparkinson.org)

About Frazier Cycling

Frazier
Cycling is a cycling/triathlon coaching and fitness company outside
Atlanta. The organization promotes kids cycling and has the only kids
road cycling program and team in Georgia. Frazier Cycling has an adult
cycling club and is an advocate of cycling for all levels - elite
athletes, beginners, kids, competitive riders, recreational bikers and
the physically challenged. (www.fraziercycling.com)

About RAGBRAI

RAGBRAI®,
The Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa®, is an annual
seven-day bicycle ride across the state. RAGBRAI is the longest, largest
and oldest touring bicycle ride in the world. (www.ragbrai.com)